OCR Text |
Show 342 MR. R. B. SHARPE ON THE BIRDS OF LABUAN. [Apr. 1, purple spots and blotches generally at the thicker end ; this is the rarest type. The second has a greyish-blue ground almost entirely obscured with brown spots and blotches, with a few distinctly indicated spots of darker brown here and there ; while the general aspect of the third type of coloration is brown, everywhere clouded with mottlings of darker brown and greenish brown. Between these different forms, however, there is every intervening link. 80. CINNYRIS HASSELTI (Temm.). Cinnyris hasselti, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyr. part iv. Nectarophila hasselti, Salvad. t. c. p. 177. Governor Ussher states that this species is very common at "Coal Point." Mr. Low sends an egg along with the old male and female bird. The egg is a peculiarly coloured one, being creamy white, with longitudinal streaks of light reddish brown or purplish grey extending nearly the whole length of the egg, and sometimes confluent so as to hide the ground-colour; axis 0*7 in., diam. 0*55 in. 81. CALCOSTETHA INSIGNIS (Jard.). Calcostetha insignis, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridae, part iv.; Salvad. t. c. p. 177. A pair sent by Mr. Treacher with the native name " Suit ton-jong." The species also occurred in the collections of Mr. Low and Governor Ussher. 82. .ZETHOPYGA SIPARAJA (Raffl.). JEthopyga siparaja, Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyr. part ix. A. eupogon, Salvad. t. c. p. 174. Two sets, consisting of two and of six eggs respectively, are sent by Mr. Low. These are most beautiful, the ground-colour being of of a pinky flesh-colour, deepening into richer rufous at the obtuse end, and sparingly spotted and scrawled with dark brown. The two eggs sent by themselves are more uniformly blotched with reddish, the spots being more sparingly distributed ; axis 0*55 in., diam. 045. Governor Ussher says that this Sunbird is common in Labuan. 83. ANTHREPTES MALACCENSIS (Scop.). Anthreptes malaccensis, Salvad. t. c. p. 178; Shelley, Monogr. Cinnyridae, part vi. Nectarinia javanica, Motl. & Dillw. t. c. p. 17. A series sent by Governor Ussher and Mr. Treacher. The males have bright yellow breasts. Native name "Suit besar " (Treacher). Mr. Low sends several nests, and says that two eggs only are laid in each nest. The eggs are very variable, the general type being like that of a Bunting, dull white or purplish grev, spotted and scribbled all over with blackish pencillings. On some of the paler-coloured eggs these lines and dots are bolder and more distinct |